It Takes a Village
It’s 1:45 in the morning, only 4 hours away from that 5:30 alarm, which I hate. Anyone else absolutely loathe being woken up by a startling noise? I have flipped through the rolodex of mobile phone alarm sounds searching for one my beleaguered nervous system can tolerate. I discerningly curated a Spotify playlist of songs that I hoped would whisper sweet nothings to my subconscious, but the truth is, whether it's quiet coffee house techno or ambient piano instrumentals, they all sound abruptly the same when piercing through my snoring slumber. I really need to bite the bullet and finally buy one of those alarm clocks that wake you up with light. No, not your Mom’s get-up-for-school jolt of room-illuminating-full-light-switch flick, but a lovely dim glow that slowly gets brighter and brighter. I'm sure THAT is the fix to my morning grumpies, and once I have one in my possession, all of my problems will disappear. Anyways, I've finally accepted that Mr. Sandman has skipped our boat tonight and conceded defeat to Patrick in the Great Bed Sheet War of 2024, I guess I have no choice but to embrace the company of my own (loud and obnoxious) thoughts.
We push off the dock in the morning. I know, I know. So exciting, relieving, nerve-racking, all the things. 3 months dreaming about cruising life, 2 months tied motionless to a dock, 3 months in the boatyard, and 3 more months finally getting some practice are presumably coming to an end. Today we celebrated Christmas, getting the last few things checked off the list, and tomorrow the adventure begins.
In my limited experience of the sailing/cruising world, what I have been struck by most is the amount of support offered from others who share this passion. From the moment we dared to speak our nautical fantasies out loud, to the actual purchase of Neverland, and every wobbly mile since, we've been blessed with the most extraordinary serendipity, encountering the kindest, most helpful souls imaginable. Let's face it, this isn't your average crowd. We're talking about people who can fix an engine with a rusty screwdriver, navigate by the stars, and whip up gourmet meals on a rocking boat. We're honored to be counted among them.
I was describing how Neverland consumes our lives, our wallets, and every ounce of our sanity, when my friend, with a knowing glance, simply said, 'Oh, you have a child’. Which is why it takes a village of kindred spirits who understand the joys (and the trials) of life on the water to help keep us afloat.
Please know if you have ever lent a tool, welcomed us into you home for a hot meal, answered continuous questions about engine mechanics, showed us how to keep our air conditioning running, took our pup for a playdate or two, guided us through something new, helped us dock safely, texted us words of encouragement, checked in when you knew it was hard, reassured us when we had doubts, your kindness and support means everything. I can push us away from our cozy little marina home tomorrow, knowing we are not alone on the journey ahead.
Update - as of this post we have successfully made it to Fla!! More to come soon……
